Free-algebra functors from a coalgebraic perspective

Publication date: 23 January 2020

Abstract: Given a set

S i g m a

of equations, the free-algebra functor

F_{S i g m a}

associates to each set

X

of variables the free algebra

F_{S i g m a} (X)

over

X

. Extending the notion of emph{derivative}

S i g m a^{'}

for an arbitrary set

S i g m a

of equations, originally defined by Dent, Kearnes, and Szendrei, we show that

F_{S} i g m a

preserves preimages if and only if

S i g m a v d a s h S i g m a^{'}

, i.e.

S i g m a

derives its derivative

S i g m a^{'}

. If

F_{S} i g m a

weakly preserves kernel pairs, then every equation

p (x, x, y) = q (x, y, y)

gives rise to a term

s (x, y, z, u)

such that

p (x, y, z) = s (x, y, z, z)

and

q (x, y, z) = s (x, x, y, z)

. In this case n-permutable varieties must already be permutable, i.e. Mal'cev. Conversely, if

S i g m a

defines a Mal'cev variety, then

F_{S} i g m a

weakly preserves kernel pairs. As a tool, we prove that arbitrary

S e t -

endofunctors

F

weakly preserve kernel pairs if and only if they weakly preserve pullbacks of epis.

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